Wire-stretcher.



M. HELM.

WIRE STRETCHER.

KPPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, I916.

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Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

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INVENTOH ATTOR N EY MAYME HELM, OF GI-IENT, KENTUCKY.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917..

Application fi1ed December 22,1916. Serial No. 138,394.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAYME HELM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ghent, in the county of Carroll and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVire-Stretchers, of which the following a specification.

The present invention relates to wire stretcher-s and has for its main object, a stretcher which is adapted to engage a wire fabric, which is to form awire fencing, in such a manner that the fabric may be stretched or drawn taut from post to post as the fabric is applied to the later.

The invention resides in the specific construction and novel arrangement of parts which will be presently apparent as the description proceeds more in detail.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wire stretcher and from which the operation will e clearly understood,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the fabric engaging means, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the fabric engaging means in detail, and

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the pulling 1 mplement which is to be used in connection with the wire stretcher, the pulling implement being substantially of the ordinary construction commonly used in wire stretching.

Like characters denote similar and like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring in detail to the drawings 1 denotes a draw bar which is of any desirable length that will suit the purpose of the invention and has along one of its longitudinal edges a plurality of openings 2 in which are adapted to engage the bolt 3 for 'adjustably securing the ends of the rods 4 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The outer ends of these rods are pivoted together as at 5 and have connected thereto at their pivotal point a chain 6.

The other longitudinal edge of the draw bar 1 has secured thereto, preferably in uniformly spaced relation, the fabric engaging members 7 each of which consists of two hook like members 8 and 9 respectively, each arranged on opposite sides of the bar 1 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The hook member 8 is preferably of a rigid and single strip of metal curved at its free end to form a hook 10 while the hook member 9 is composed of two'parts ll'and 12 hinged together as at 13, the member 12 being curved at its free end to form a similar hook 10 to coiiperate with the hook of the member 8. A bolt or rivet 11 extends through the bar 1 and secures the member 8 and the part 11 of the member 9 in position. A strand of wire 15 is looped about the pin 13 of the hinged parts 11 and 13 and has its opposite ends bearing against said parts respectively in a manner that will normally tend to hold the movable hook 12 into cooperative engagement and relation with respect to the hooked end of the member 8. As will be clearly seen from the drawingsthese hooks will engage around or embrace the vertical strands of a wire fabric which is to provide a fencing. Assuming that the stretcher is adapted to stretch a wire fabric say, four feet in width and it is desired to stretch a wire fabric three feet in width, it is only necessary to adjust the rods 4 in the openings 2 as shown in dotted lines so that the pull will be equally distributed throughout the width of the fence fabric. The movable hook members 12 are then opened against the tension of the spring 15 so as to engage preferably, the vertical strands of wire.

To accomplish the stretching of the wire fabric a chain 16 is secured to the next or adjacent post, to which the fabric is to be secured, one end of the chain being secured to the intermediate portion of a link 17 the ends of the link having pivoted thereto the dogs 18. The link also rigidly carries a socket 19 which receives one end of an operating lever 20. The lever is adapted to be oscillated to operate the dogs 18 to successively engage the links of the chain 6 for stretching the fence fabric in the manner which is well understood.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a wire stretching device of a simple construction and quickly adjustable to stretching wire fence fabrics of varying widths. The gripping members 7 provide a simple and positive gripping means for rendering an effective and even stretching of the wire.

The foregoing clearly describes my invention. However, it is to be understood that certain changes in the exact construction, combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to which fall within the legitimate scope of the appended claim.

lVhat is claimed is A wire fence stretcher comprising a draw bar, a plurality of fabric engaging means secured along one of the longitudinal edges of said draw bar each of said fabric engaging means comprising a rigid hook member and a pivoted hook member supported on' opposite sides of the draw bar, and means for normally holding said pivoted hook member in cooperative relation with said 1:- statlonary hook member and a pull chaln connected with said draw bar.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 110. 

